1046 Verse 1499

Original

अग्निहोत्रादिवचनादकम्पज्ञानजन्मतः ।
तत्प्रमाणत्वमप्यस्य निराकर्तुं न पार्यते ॥ १४९९ ॥

agnihotrādivacanādakampajñānajanmataḥ |
tatpramāṇatvamapyasya nirākartuṃ na pāryate || 1499 ||

“Inasmuch as the words speaking of the agnihotra and other things bring about unshakeable cognitions,—the character of being eight cognition cannot be denied to them.”—(1499)

Kamalaśīla

Says the Opponent—‘Not having the Three-features, Verbal Cognition may not be Inference; but how can it be regarded as Valid or Right Cognition’?

The answer is as follows:—[see verse 1499 above]

The cognition is ‘unshakeable’ by reason of its being free from doubt and error; that is, it is Eight Cognition because there is no Right Cognition sublating it; just in the same way as Sense-perception is Right Cognition.

Says Śabarasvāmin (in his Bhāṣya on Sū. 1. 1. 5)—“The cognition derived from the statement ‘Desiring Heaven one should offer the Agnihotra’ is not a doubtful one,—it leaves us in no doubt as to whether Heaven is to be attained or not;—and when this is cognised with certainty, it cannot be wrong; it is only when the cognition, after having come about, becomes subîated by the subsequent idea that ‘it is not so’, that it can be called wrong cognition;—the cognition in question however is never, at any time or at any place, found to be otherwise;—hence it must be true. As regards the assertion of the common people,—if it comes from a trusted person, or if it pertains to what is actually perceived by the Senses, then it is certainly true; if, on the other hand, it emanates from an untrustworthy person, or it relates to something beyond the reach of the Senses,—then having its source in a human being, it cannot be regarded as right; because such a thing cannot be rightly known by human beings by themselves”.—(1499)